Book Week is a great opportunity to celebrate both books and the authors who write them. Each year Book Week is themed, the theme this year is Science Fiction. An example of science fiction is Dr Who, which is also a television series. For book week we have been taking part in many exciting activities such as meeting authors and making sculptures completely out of books. Book Week is great fun and I would definitely recommend doing something to join in. Have a Good Book Week.

This list shows off what I think are the best of the young adult books I’ve been reading recently.

Paper Aeroplanes – Dawn O’Porter

Paper Aeroplanes is the story of fifteen year old Renee and Flo, two girls who seem the most unlikely of friends. Growing up on Guernsey in the 90s as a teenager is difficult enough, but Renee still suffers over the loss of her mother, while Flo’s family is being torn apart by lies and depression. The girls have to contend with the usual teenage girl troubles (school, periods, boys) while also keeping themselves, and their dysfunctional families, together. The result is a book that is fiesty and fun, while also heart breaking, and honest. If this book had existed when I was a teenager, it would have been one of my favourites.

2 Heroic – Phil Earle

Jammy and Sonny are two brothers, aged eighteen and sixteen. They live in a rough area full of high rise flats, full of drug addicts, alcoholics, and gangs. Sonny is left to fend for himself, however, while Jammy is fighting in the army in Afghanistan. The first half of the novel is split between the two brothers, each telling their story of how they are coping in their respective nightmares. The brothers eventually come together again during Jammy’s two weeks of R&R. It is supposed to be a time for rest and relaxation, but Sonny quickly discovers that Jammy has changed. Things have happened to Jammy in Afghanistan that cause Sonny and their friends to really worry about him.

This book is action-packed, emotional, and brutally honest. All the same, it’s a very enjoyable book about important issues.

3.The Chaos Walking Trilogy – Patrick Ness

Todd lives in a town where he is the last child. As soon as it’s his birthday, he will become a man. That, and women don’t exist anymore. The men carry on with their lives, but they can hear each other’s thoughts all the time – a problem that they call Noise. One day, however, Todd discovers a gap in the Noise, a place where somehow there is silence. What he finds there leads him on an adventure that spans over three books. This is, without a doubt, the best trilogy of books I have ever read. As soon as I finished The Knife of Never Letting Go (the first one) I rushed straight to the book shop to buy the second book. If you like well-written books with lots of action, amazing characters, and clever storylines, then these are the books for you. P.S I dare you to read all three without crying once.

4. Howl’s Moving Castle – Dianna Wynne Jones

Howl is one of the most fantastic characters I’ve ever read. He’s utterly ridiculously, completely melodramatic and yet just so endearing. For a man who eats women’s hearts, it’s impossible not to fall in love with him. This story is full of fairytale conventions, and includes all the magical elements of fantasy: witches, magical contracts, curses in aplenty. Howl’s Moving Castle is a charming and delightful read: I giggled the whole way through. I’d urge anyone (particularly those with a love of handsome drama queens) to pick it up.

5.The Perks of Being a Wallflower – Stephen Chbosky

This is one book I really wish I’d read when I was a teenager. The Perks of Being a Wallflower is told by Charlie in a series of letters to ‘Dear Friend’. In many ways Charlie is a ‘typical teenager’; discovering himself through the songs he hears, the people he meets and, more importantly, the books that he reads. However, as the story unfolds the reader learns more about his mind and his past, and with a number of doctors and psychologists, it’s clear that Charlie hasn’t had an easy life, even at the age of fifteen-sixteen. The Perks of Being a Wallflower is tenderly and beautifully written and reaches out to any reader who has ever experienced teenage loneliness.

As a writer, Inspiration is very important to me. Many writers think inspiration is the most important thing about writing, that without inspiration, writing is nothing. I however, think of inspiration as important but not the most important. It is different for everyone, and nearly everyone has their own way of getting it. Some may find inspiration by hunting for it, others wait for inspiration to come to them. I find it amazing that there are so many ways to find it.

My way of finding inspiration is to look at the world around me, notice the magic and think of a story that could fit into this world. Who would be there? What would they do? I think that this is a wonderful way to find inspiration as it makes me pay attention to where I am and what it could be, rather than just ignore where I am, ignore the possible stories. I love to find out how others find inspiration as it gives you a good insight as to what they’re like and who they are.

I’m certain that everyone who has read the CHERUB series would agree with me. It’s probably the most exciting thing a teenager could do. Getting to go on missions and fight crime with the amazing karate skills they’ve armed you with. And then to be able to learn about espionage and weaponry alongside your normal education.

And then when you get to go on missions you move up the ranks and gain a new colour of T-shirts. It would be amazingly fun and exciting and the sense of achievement would be great.

Don’t you just love when a book you are reading fits perfectly with your surroundings? I experienced that feeling a year ago while in Arisaig reading ‘Ingo’ by Helen Dunmore.

It was a great feeling to read about a girl living next to the sea while you yourself were too. It was as if all the descriptions and surroundings in the book came to life. The crashing of the waves on the shore, the sound of dogs barking and seagulls and other birds laughing in the sky.

I loved also how you could walk in the footsteps of the characters. See and hear what they could, and walking over rocks by the shore like they would. It made the book feel much more personal to you. And for a few glorious hours, you felt the wonderful sensation that your life was a book. You could see the world through the characters eyes.

So my advice to you, dear reader, is this – next time you are looking out a holiday read, think wisely. For you never know where that book might take you.

A few nights ago, I was asked to read a bedtime story to a little girl and her brother. Of course the little boy like most others lost interest after about 10 seconds so it was mainly the girl listening.

The book she had picked me out to read was the “The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck” by Beatrix Potter. During the story floods of memories came rushing back as I thought of my childhood when my mum would read me stories by Beatrix Potter. My favourites were Jemima Puddle-duck, Tom Kitten and Mrs Tiggy-winkle. But ofcourse we like them all really didn’t we?

When I got home I decided to look out my collection of Beatrix Potter books and I found myself reading them all right there and then on the spot. I was only snapped out of it when my dad shouted me for tea.

I guess the point I’m trying to make is you are never to old or young to enjoy reading a good story in that you are never to old to pick up a child’s book and start reading.

Its good to have all those memories come rushing back. But most of all it was great to see the excitment and enthusiasism in a child’s eyes over a “stupid duck”. And then as you read the words The End to hear a little squeaky voice say again please.

I’d like to thank your librarian Christine Babbs for all her enthusiasm and help in getting started and I am looking forward to getting to know you all.

I will be delighted to hear from you if you have any ideas you want to share. There are pages for Book Reviews and ‘must read’ books for our RaveAbout Booklist. If you have been Writing or had some success with your writing you can share that here, too. We will also have Competitions from time to time and News from the world of books and writing.

I will be writing a few blogs but I am hoping that each term we will also have short blogs written by you.

Each term I hope we will have –

A blog written by one student from each year group (6 in total)

A blog written by a teacher or member of staff

A blog written by a parent

So go and pester your teachers or any member of school staff, or parents to come along and join us by writing a review or a blog.

This blog ‘Our Books On The Brain’ is where you – the students, teachers, staff and parents of students attending Liberton High school can discuss books, enter competitions, display your own writing and generally have fun and exchange ideas about anything to do with books, reading and writing.